A Mother's Love
by Candy
Summary: Link's mother flees to save her children


A Mother's Love 

My husband, my love, and my king, 

I am writing you this letter to warn you of what is to become of my future and our children's. The castle is being attacked by Gerudo forces, and I am sure we will end up fleeing. But I cannot, will not, go with them. I am sorry love, but this is how it must be. I am sure that you are wondering why I cannot go. Well, it is because of our children. You see, I had a vision, and in that vision the Goddesses of Hyrule came to me. They told me that our children will be vital to Hyrule's future, and at all costs they must be saved. So, I must separate them. I will take the boy with me, and you must keep the girl. Teach her the royal ways and keep her safe. I will not be there to care for her after this, for I fear I will die while taking the boy to safety. Still, I do not fear for my life. If I can save our children, all will be well. The boy will in total safety, but I cannot tell you his location. The less you know, love, the better. I do apologize for not saying goodbye in person, but our children must survive. Please, keep our daughter safe, but do NOT mention her brother. I do not want her searching Hyrule for him. I will miss you and our family. I am so sorry... but I love you. I always will... please forgive me Harkinian. With all my love, Queen Ariana IV 

I place my quill pen down and fold the letter. After that, I close it with the royal seal. I have feared, for awhile, of this day. I knew once I received the vision of the Goddesses that something horrible would happen. The war, is what happened. A horrible bloody civil war that has brought death and destruction to this peaceful land. I glance over at my two children. My angels, I'm so sorry. But, I have a feeling; fate will bring you two together again. 

I rush to the cradle and place a kiss on both their foreheads. Tears flow down my cheeks and splash onto the silken sheets within the crib. "How I wish things could be different, darlings." I whisper softly to them, "I'm so sorry, but you must survive..." I pick up the girl and rock her sleeping body in my arms. She opens her crystalline eyes and begins to sniff. NO, don't cry! The guards will hear you and come to get us and my plan will fail! 

I place my index finger on her forehead and close my eyes. I drain some of the power from her tiny body, not enough to hurt her, but just enough to put her to sleep. I kiss her cheek and hug her one final time. Then I do the hardest thing I have done in awhile. I call her handmaiden. 

"Impa!" I barely recognize my own voice as its choked, tearful sound echoes through the halls of the north tower. No response. "IMPA!" I cry louder, tears roll down my face like rivers and my throat becomes dry. The door opens with a loud slam. "YOUR HIGNESS! GERUDO FORCES HAVE PENETRATED THE WALLS AND ARE INSIDE THE MAIN THRONE ROOM! WE MUST FLEE!" 

I turn to face the young Sheikahn woman in front of me. True she is older then I, by 10 years of age, but she is not elderly. She is nearing the prime of her life though. But now, she does not look her 35 years of age. Her silver-blonde hair whips in front of her face, which is creased with worry. Her purple eyes look frantic, and her long sword is drawn. She looks so worried, so old... 

"YOUR MAJESTY! DID YOU NOT HEAR MY WARNING?" She looks annoyed now. I look up at the Sheikah. "Impa," I say as calmly as possible, "I hear your warning, but I will not heed it." She looks astonished. "Your majesty, stop this foolishness! For the love of the Goddesses come with me! You and your children must be safe!" She isn't ordering me or yelling anymore. She is begging me, like a little child. "Impa, for reasons I cannot explain, I can't go with you. But you must aide me in my quest," I look once more at the angel in my arms and hand the purple bundle over to her. "Impa, you must take the girl. I must flee and take the boy to safety." 

"Your majesty, I do not understand. Why?" I look at her and smile. "As I said I cannot explain. It must be. Also," I run to my desk and grab the letter. "Give this to Harkinian. And tell him, that the boy will be safe." Impa looks down at the floor. Then she does something I would not expect her to do. She cries. Her eyes are flooded and red. "Your highness... Ariana... please... don't throw your life away!" I place my hand on her shoulder and hug her. She is my friend. I will miss her. "Go," I say, "Be safe. My life will not be thrown away if I can save my children. So please take the child, and allow me to leave, without more guilt then I already bear." She nodded, wiped her tears, and exited the door with my baby girl. I look towards the open door and allow my tears to fall. "Goodbye Zelda..." I whisper. 

I then pick up the small blue bundle in the crib and flea through the secret exit in the tower wall. I can hear the screams and moans of the dying inside my home, and can almost smell the stench of blood of the slaughtered. My precious baby must also sense the chaos, and he begins to cry. I stop and lean against the damp stone wall. I rock the boy gently in my arms. I take in the musty stench as my eyes adjust to the dark of the ancient hall. This place was built just for this purpose. I used to run about these halls with Harkinian, and escape the castle. Ah, memories. But now is not the time to reminisce. My child has quieted and I must press on. 

It seemed that I walked on for hours but eventually I made it out. And into the sunlight I finally step. Well if you would call it sunlight. It's more like black clouds and a hellish red light protruding from those darkened puffs. I look to my left and then to my right. A war still rages on this field. I look back once at my home and then I have to look away. Hyrule market town, and the castle, is ablaze with an amber fire with a deadly black smoke rising into the hellish sky. No tears shall I shed on this place, I must look forward. I hold my sleeping baby closer and run. 

Bombs and fires sprout all around my weary body. My plain brown cloak and hood whips behind me. My long, golden hair, which was fashioned into a braid flows behind me as well. My white royal gown is covered in soot and tattered in various places. I still press on. I must keep going. Suddenly as I pass a lone stream, a Zora jumps out, grabs my free arm, and pulls me to him. I begin to struggle but the cold steel of a knife presses against my neck. 

"Do you have a death wish Hylian?" It hisses in my ear. I gulp slowly and close my eyes. "No... please..." I whisper. He presses the knife harder against my throat. "You're afraid little Hylian? You want me to spare your puny life?" I suck in a breath and gather my courage. "I care not what you do to me. But you should worry about your own life." He leans closer to my face. "And what are YOU going to do? I could slit your pretty little neck right now." My eyes dart to the side and I see the Goron cannon aimed this way. I smirk, "I'm not going to do anything. But the cannons will." He looks in the direction I had been just in time to hear the word "fire" being yelled. He removes the knife from my neck and pushes me to the ground as he dives under the water. Grabbing the now screaming babe closer to my chest, I scurry out of the way as the cannon ball smacks the ground on which I once stood. 

I raced back to the path and jump over the Gerudo,Goron, Zoran, and Hylian bodies that littered the bloody ground. My baby is screaming at the top of his strong lungs, and I am more afraid then he. My baby doesn't understand the concept of death yet. He is not seeing his people being slaughtered before his eyes. My throat is still red from the place that the Zora's dagger pressed against, and my face is beaded with sweat. I pass Lon Lon Ranch, home of my good friends Talon, Salon, and their daughter Malon. I sincerely hope that the small family is all right. Even though they are peasants they are my friends. A bomb smashes the top of the barn's roof. I avert my tear filled eyes and continue my run. I am almost there. So close, so close... 

I see the two large trees that grow by the entrance to the Kokiri Bridge. Maybe I shall make it alive! Maybe! Suddenly a sharp pain shoots up my spine and I fall forward, still trying to protect the now sleeping, and exhausted babe. "Woman, give me your money and your life will be spared." I groan, and force my half-sitting body to face my attacker. 

He is mounted upon a mighty black steed, who's bridal is covered in yellow, red, and green gemstones. He is of the Gerudo race, no doubt, and obviously of great importance. He is older then me, maybe the age of Impa, maybe a little older? His eyes are a piercing amber, like the flames that licked the sky as they raised from my castle, only unlike the flames; they are cold, as ice. His skin is tan, which is typical of the Gerudos and his hair, spiky and short, is as orange as the sunrise. His smile is smug and arrogant. He is clad in black armor and a flowing red cape. He places one of his feet back in its stirrup. The bastard kicked me in the back! I look up at the monster with all the venom in my gaze that I can muster. He stares back at me and narrows his eerie eyes. "Are you deaf, woman? Or are you plain stupid? Give me your money!" I try to stand, but my pain in my back is great. I let out a shaky breath and hide my child with one hand under my brown cloak. This man must not know I am the queen. His horse grows restless and stomps its foot. He notices me studying the horse and in a loud, rumbling voice, yells, "LIKE THE HORSE, I AM NOT PATIENT! NOW HAND OVER YOUR MONEY!" 

I return my gaze to him and slowly rise. He seems almost surprised that I was able to. My steel blue eyes meet his golden ones and I utter a word with as much hatred as I possibly can. "No." He raises one of his bushy eyebrows. "NO?" he rumbles. I raise my voice, still keeping a dangerous tone to it. "I repeat, no! I would not hand over my money, if I had any, to a lowly bastard like yourself!" He looks almost shocked and hisses, "I do not believe you. Your garments under your cloak are those of a noble. You have money. NOW GIVE IT HERE!" "AND I TELL YOU AGAIN! NO!" "YOU ARE FOOLISH, WOMAN!" "I MAY BE A FOOL, BUT AT LEAST I AM NOT A PIG!" 

He says nothing after that. He just glares at me. With hatred, surprise, and maybe, if I'm not mistaken, a bit of admiration. "You dare call me a pig?" He asks in a deadly tone. "You are a brave one. I suppose you know not who I am." "I do not wish to." "I am not one to be trifled with." "Neither am I." "I am more powerful then you could imagine." "I sincerely doubt that, for if you were, you would not waste your time robbing me." 

He looks as if he has grown tired of our verbal battle. I thank the Goddesses that my baby has not stirred. I also thank them that he has not sensed my great fear. For I can tell this man is evil. Evil in the direst way... I realize! HE is the enemy that Hyrule will face! And my children will defeat him! 

Without a word, and in a swift movement, the Gerudo man removes his sword and runs it through my middle. I do not scream or cry. I just shudder and slump to the ground, already drenched in the blood of another. "Know this Hylian, I am Gannondorf Dragmier, King of the Gerudos! And soon, king of all Hyrule!" He turns his horse around and stops. "'Tis a pity you had to die, you have the heart of a true leader." He then laughs an evil laugh. The lightning crashes, the thunder rumbles, and he rides off into the stormy night, leaving me to die. 

I cannot die here. No, no! The child must live! I must get him... to the tree... Suddenly I am surrounded by light. A green light, a heavenly light. "Ariana?" called a voice, soft as the wind yet demanding as the seasons. "Who... who is there?" "I am Farore, Goddess of Courage." "Goddess, I have failed you, I am so close, but I..." "You are dying, this We, The Goddesses, know." "What am I to do? The pain, the blood... it's all too great?" "I can grant you just enough strength to go on to the Deku Tree. But after that you must come with us." "I will die?" "Yes." "Will my children be safe?" "We will see to it that they are." "Then let it be so." 

Suddenly the pain from my wound decreases, although the blood still flows. I stagger to my feet and hold my child as close as I can. He begins to sob. He knows my time is short. He knows that I will leave. But I must. 

My footsteps echo as I cross the bridge into the small village of the Kokiri. They all look at me with curious wonder upon their young faces as I trip and drag myself through their town. I fall to my knees, short of breath, and shrug off my cloak. I meet the blue eyes of one of the Kokiri. 

He looks at me with concern. "My name is Mido," he says in a soft, yet commanding voice, "I am the leader of the Kokiri people. What do you want with us Hylian Maiden?" I would smile at his manners if I had the strength but I don't. So I clutch my baby, and whisper. "The Tree... take me to... the Tree..." He looks at me, the baby and then nods. "He will not be pleased since you are an outsider, but you are injured and have a child, so he will have pity." 

The young boy leads my through a natural alley, and into a vast meadow. In the middle stands, in all its nobility and majesty, the Great Deku Tree. Suddenly the pain shoots from my stomach like a firecracker and into my lungs. I am in his presence and the Goddesses must give my pain back. My mission is almost complete. 

The great tree speaks. "Who dares enter the forest without permission? Who dares to disturb the innocence of the Kokiri with visions of pain and war?" I look up to the immense tree and inwardly tremble from both fear and pain. "Great Deku Tree," I begin slowly as I sink to my knees and place my child onto the soft green earth. "A few moons ago, I was blessed with a vision from the Goddesses... The warned me that my children would be vital to the survival of Hyrule and that I must separate them. I did as I was told and fled my castle. I was attacked by a Gerudo while running across Hyrule Field. He did this to me." I remove my arm from my stomach wound. The blood has stained my pure white gown and drips down to the knees. I wince in agony. "My only hope is to leave my baby boy in this forest, in safety, with you." 

The Deku Tree remained silent and then his gentle voice rumbled throughout the field. "What of you? What will be your fate?" I let out a small whimper and lie down. "I shall die." I whisper. "What is your name?" asks the Deku Tree. "My name... is Queen Ariana de Ghent IV" 

"And you think I shall assist you because you are a queen?" 

My breath grows short, and my pain is great. But now, so is my anger. I muster up my voice and allow my teary eyes to open. "I come to you, not as a queen, but as a mother, who fears for her child's life! I beg of you, Show mercy! TAKE HIM!" I cannot breath much longer for my lungs are filled with blood. I begin to cough it up and shudder. "Please?" I ask. 

The Deku Tree smiles. "You are wise, young queen. Your passing will be a great sorrow to your land. I will take your child, for I too, sense something in him. You may be at peace." I nod in relief and close my eyes. My baby boy is safe. I completed my mission. My work is done. I let out my final breath and whisper: "I love you Link... good... luck..." Suddenly I see a light, but my eyes are not open. 

"Ariana?" "I am here." "It is We, The Three Goddesses." "Is it my time?" "Yes." "Then I shall go" 

Then the light disappears. I am above my body. My eyes are closed and my braid is sprawled behind me. A young girl with green hair and blue eyes and a kind smile picks up my baby. My blood is no longer flowing and my breath is no longer there. "Ariana. Come with us." "Yes, I shall come." 

I take one last look from the sky at Hyrule. The fighting had ended for that night, and the rain extinguished the fires that were ravishing the land that day. Surely, tomorrow, new battles and fires would break out, but for now, there was silent peace. My children were safe. A teary eyed Impa held Zelda as she consoled my Harkinian. And my baby Link was placed in a wooden crib, where fairies danced above it. And as I walk to the gates of heaven, I know that even though my heart no longer beats, nothing can stop a mother's love. 

Didja like? Hate? Email me! Pandachan33@yahoo.com 

Luv alwayz ~*Candy*~ 


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